


Stay?

by BouncyOrb



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:14:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22719736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BouncyOrb/pseuds/BouncyOrb
Summary: Locus comes back to Iris to visit Donut with the kids, but this time he's been thinking a lot about what the future could hold for Donut, for him, and Meg and Mace.
Relationships: Franklin Delano Donut/Locus | Samuel Ortez
Kudos: 7





	Stay?

Locus was nervous every time he brought his ship in for a landing at the Red and Blue Bases on Iris. He had Meg and Mace with him, it was his turn to spend time with them for a few days. Locus didn’t stay with Donut for very long whenever he came back so they agreed to give each other a chance to spend enough time with them. Locus can’t stay, and he knows Donut knows, and he hopes he never asks him to. He knew what he wanted to tell him, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

The Reds and Blues all crowded around Locus’ ship as he landed it and opened up the boarding ramp, Meg and Mace in his arms. They were just barely still small enough to carry like this, even for Locus. Even so, Donut happily ran up to him and kissed him, scooped them out of his arms, and spun around with them until he fell over, laughing, both of them landing on top of him. The rest of the Reds said their hellos to Locus and the kids while Donut rolled around with them.

“So what did you get up to out there?” Grif asked.

“No big adventure this time. I’ll leave all those to you guys.”

“With any luck, no more big adventures for us.” Simmons said, with his arm around Grif.

“Dude, I swear, if you jinx us…”

Locus walked over to where Donut was playing with Meg and Mace, kneeling down beside them.

“How are you?” Donut asked.

“How are you?” Locus replied. Donut hummed a response as they kissed again. 

“How long are you staying this time?”

“A few days at least. We should have some time to relax.”

“Hopefully not just time for that.” Donut said with a nudge. Locus nudged him back.

“You know… we have plenty of room here. For you and the kids.”

“Donut-”

“I know you have your big space repentance moral quest, but… I miss you when you’re gone.”

Locus didn’t answer, just leaned on Donut’s shoulder while Mace nibbled on his hand.

“You don’t have to answer now, but at least think about it while you’re here?”

“I… I’ll think about it. I promise.” Locus took Donut’s hand and brought it up to kiss it.

After letting the kids tear up the grass for a few minutes, Locus and Donut brought them inside. Doc and Grif made a big dinner for the kids, and Donut even invited the Blues. Locus felt as out of place as he’s ever felt, sitting at a big dinner table, surrounded by people talking and laughing and eating. He stared at his plate for a while before people started to notice him not eating.

“You do eat food, right?” Grif asked, jokingly. “You’re not some kinda robot? ‘Cuz the one robot we got is enough.”

“Si pudiera comer tu comida, no lo haría.”

“Since you’re gonna be here a while,” Tucker said, “why don’t we do something tomorrow?”

“Like what?” Locus asked, sounding more exasperated than he meant to.

“Capture the flag!” Sarge shouted. His suggestion was met with groans. “Oh you wusses are just mad that we have a certified killing machine on our team! No offense, Locus.”

“Sarge,” Wash said, not wanting to look up from his meal, “haven’t you had enough of capture the flag?”

“I know I have.” Tucker said.

“Aw, come on guys.” Donut pleaded. “We used to have so much fun with capture the flag back in Blood Gulch.”

“Oh like when Sarge got shot in the head?” Grif said.

“Or how about the worrying amount of team killing?” Tucker added.

“That was only a few times.” Caboose said. “If you killed me a few times I wouldn’t be so rude about it.”

“I think it would be great!” Simmons chimed in.

“Of course you do.” Grif said.

“I think it would give us a chance to see how well we can work as a unit working with Locus.”

“See! It’s a strategic strategy study.”

“Excellent alliteration, sir.”

While the crew all discussed capture the flag, Donut watched Locus feeding Meg with the colorful plastic spoons Grif kept from a truck stop. He smiled for a moment, just watching. Locus felt his eyes on him and turned.

“What do you think, hun?” Donut said quietly, letting the rest of them keep going. “Game of ctf with everyone tomorrow?”

Locus looked around at everyone, then back to the kids, sharing a seat next to him.

“I don’t…”

He saw Donut try to hide a sad face. He wasn’t very good at that. Locus knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Okay.” He said. The table went quiet as everyone heard him. “Capture the flag. Sounds like… a fun time.”

“Yes!” Sarge yelled. “We’ll get started at the crack of dawn!”

“Ugh, how about we actually get some sleep instead.” Grif protested.

“This is going to be so cool!” Sarge said to Locus in an unusually giddy voice. “I can’t wait to show you some of my experimental battle plans!”

“You still think you can take two Freelancers?” Carolina teased.

“Hey, we’ve beaten every Freelancer that we’ve fought.” Grif said. “And that was back in your prime.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!?” Wash and Carolina shouted at the same time.

As arguments broke out across the table, Locus helped Donut take Mace into his lap while he took Meg. Donut sat and listened, the debates and insults were a sweet song to him after so many years. Locus, on the other hand, was secretly dreading capture the flag tomorrow. Was this just a game? Were they going to have to actually fight? Who’s going to watch Meg and Mace? What if he loses? What if he wins? His mind was swirling with these thoughts, and he fell back on his stoic gaze. Donut could tell what was happening, and tapped him on the arm.

“I think we’re done with dinner.” He said with a smile. Locus and Donut carried the kids, already sleepy, up from the table. “Night guys!” Donut shouted.

“Night!” everybody shouted back, before going back to the yelling.

The Reds left an extra bed empty for when Locus was here. It was the neatest looking one in either base. It was pushed up against Donut’s bed so they could sleep together. Locus was too insecure to tell anyone that sleeping next to Donut, with Meg and Mace laying on top of him, was the warmest, safest, happiest place he could think of. He hoped Donut knew. The arguments kept on for a while, and his mind was still rampant with worry about tomorrow. But even so, he slept soundly.

The mornings in Blood Gulch were quiet. Locus was always the first to wake up. He left Donut and the kids in bed while he got up and went to his ship to get ready for capture the flag. Nobody else would be ready for an hour at least, but Locus couldn’t stand staying in bed once he woke up. He got his armor on and started stretching.

“I guess even big bad ex-mercenaries have to stretch, huh?”

Locus nearly drew his weapon on Sarge, standing at the top of the ramp to the ship. He took a breath and started back on his stretches in silence.

“I think we should talk about today, Locus.”

“I know how to play capture the flag.”

“Not about that.” Locus stopped and looked at Sarge. “Okay, it’s a little about that, but it’s mostly about Donut.”

“What about him?”

“You know how he can be, he’s the sensitive type. I would hate for him to have any hurt feelings after the game today.”

“What are you trying to say, Sarge?” Locus said, more of a demand than a question.

Sarge took a few steps into the ship. Locus didn’t like the way he moved into his personal space.

“You being here, gettin’ along with us, it’s real important to Donut. So if you only said yes to shut him up, you better not let him find out.”

Locus thought back to last night. That’s not what he did, was it? He was trying to cheer him up, keep him happy. He didn’t want Donut to think any less of him. But he couldn’t say he wasn’t annoyed by everyone’s arguing and pleading for him to play along. That’s not what he did, was it?

“I care for my boys, Locus.” Sarge said. “I hope you do too.”

Sarge left the ship before Locus could think of some way to convince Sarge of how much he cares. Locus stayed in the ship until everyone else was ready. He sat and thought and he didn’t stretch. Donut came to get him once everyone was there, in his full lightish red armor.

“Ready to go, babe?”

“I’m ready to go.” Locus said, sounding tired and not very ready. Donut led him out of the ship where everyone was waiting outside. They went and stood with the rest of the Reds.

“I hope you stretched, I know I did.” Donut said.

“We know.” Wash said. “We all saw.”

“Alright boys!” Sarge yelled. “We have our teams! We have our flags!”

“Sagre, we’re right here, you don’t need to yell.” Grif said, not fully awake yet.

“To keep things fair,” Sarge continued, yelling, “we will go back to our bases, and the game starts when Doc shoots a flare from the center of the canyon!”

“We aren’t in a canyon.” Locus said.

“Just go along with it.” Simmons whispered to him.

“Once everyone in the canyon sees the flare go up, it’s go time! Is everyone ready!?”

“Just for the record,” Doc said, “I’m only doing this because a flare gun isn’t technically a firearm.”

“It would’ve been easier to fire the rocket launcher and you know it!” Tucker said.

“Let’s get this started people!” Sarge said. He raised one arm then pointed his hand towards Red base, leading his team back towards it. Locus marched in line with everyone else, looking back and Meg and Mace, standing at Doc’s feet.

“Don’t worry, he’s got plenty of experience with alien babies.” Donut reassured him.

“Didn’t he let Junior eat half of Blue Team?” Simmons asked.

“Keyword, Blue.” Sarge said. “Keep it down, boys. It’s about to be showtime.”

“I thought you said it was go time.” Grif said.

“Yes, go as in go back to base time. Now it’s showtime, as in, let’s show those Blues the glory of the glorious Red team!”

“Are we using live rounds?” Locus asked when he noticed Sarge pridefully carrying his shotgun.

“Oh god no.” Grif answered. “We replaced all the guns and ammo we had with paintball gear. Mostly for Caboose-proofing.”

“Yeah, I even managed to get the gun on the jeep to shoot paintballs.”

“Yeah and you were a huge nerd about it.”

Locus was having a hell of a time trying to pick up on any kind of signals from either team. People were upset, excited, or indifferent all at once. This group of people never cease to amaze and confuse Locus. They got back to Red base and waited for the flare. Locus stood at the ready, Sarge cleared his throat to get his attention.

“Remember the plan, Locus?”

“Yes.” Locus said. “I do.”

They waited in silence for the flare, one minute, then two, then five, then ten.

“Did we remember to give Doc fla-”

Grif was interrupted by a bright red flare and a scared wail erupting from the middle of the canyon.

“Today is a good day to steal the blue flag!”

“We gotta work on your catchphrases, Sarge.” Grif shouted as he ran to the jeep and hopped in the driver seat. Simmons hopped on the back and Sarge sat behind him, legs hanging off the back of the jeep. Locus got into the passenger seat and Donut sat in his lap. Once everyone was loaded up, Grif gunned it to Blue Base.

“This is gonna be so much fun!” Donut said to Locus. “We’ve never tried out this battle plan before.”

“That’s because nobody wanted to you sitting in their laps anymore.” Grif said.

“How many times do I have to say, I was trying to shift gears and I just-”

“Coming up on Blue Base!” Sarge yelled from the back of the jeep. “Ready, Donut!?”

“Ready Sarge!”

Grif swung the jeep in a drifting arc in front of Blue Base and let Donut and Sarge jump out and roll to a stop.

“Phase one complete!” Sarge barked into the radio. “Locus, go for phase B!”

Tucker and Wash were shooting blue paintballs from the top of Blue Base, covering the jeep with blue dots. Simmons fired back a hail of red paintballs from the jeep’s gun while Grif drove them around the back and let Locus jump out. He landed and ran towards the base, activating his cloaking device.

“Tucker!” Wash said, “I’ll keep Donut and Sarge from getting in the front, you go get Locus before he gets in from behind.”

“Bow ch-”

“Please go, Tucker.” Wash said, taking cover from the jeep’s paintballs.

Tucker ran down the ramp into the base and looked for the telltale shimmer of Locus’ cloak. He scanned the flag room for a moment before he saw it, moving towards him. Locus knocked the paintball gun from his hands and pushed him away from the flag. Locus uncloaked and reached for it before Caboose landed on his back, sending him to the ground.

“Good work Caboose!”

“I am the quietest person ever. Of all time” Caboose whispered as he struggled to keep Locus on the ground.

Locus grunted and pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Caboose’s weight was a much bigger challenge than he expected.

“Ugh, what did you eat yesterday?” Locus grunted before Tucker joined Caboose on Locus’ back. Tucker only threw off the balance, however, and Locus tipped them both off of him and jumped towards the flag. He grabbed it and rolled smoothly into a run out the back door.

“Dammit Caboose, now I owe Wash 5 bucks.”

Locus got outside and found the jeep flipped over, with the Reds taking cover under it from Wash, still on the roof. The entire underside of the jeep was painted red.

“What happened?” Locus said into the radio.

“The paint made the ground all slippery, okay!?” Grif yelled back. “Next time somebody else drive, how about that.”

Locus ran to the jeep and slid behind it, laying the flag down on the ground.

“Locus,” Sarge said, taking a shot at Wash, “finally, another Red who can get things done!”

“Who’s the first one?” Grif asked.

“Wait a minute.” Locus said, counting all the Reds. “Who’s back protecting our flag?”

“Who needs defense when you have a perfect offense!” Sarge said. “Gandhi said that.”

“Carolina probably has our flag by now!” Locus said, frustrated.

“Don’t worry,” Donut said, “they have to get through us to get back to base.”

“Don’t tell me not to worry.” Locus said, picking the flag back up. “Somebody has to get Wash to stop shooting at us.”

“I’m on it.” Sarge said. “Grif! Get on it!”

“What do you want me to do? I’m out of paintballs.”

“We have to do something!” Locus shouted. He shoved the flag into Donut’s hand and gripped the jeep with both hands. “Help me.”

Grif, Simmons, and Sarge all grabbed the jeep and slowly turned it back over onto its wheels.

“Good job everyone!” Simmons said just before a blue thud hit his chestpiece. “Aw fuck!”

“You’re out, Simmons!” Wash shouted from the roof.

“Grif, get in!” Locus yelled, pushing Grif into the passenger seat and then over into the driver seat. “We’re gonna go get our flag back!”

“Locus, it’s okay, it’s just-”

“Donut, get in!” Locus said, jumping on the gun on the back. “Sarge, keep Washington busy.”

“Sarge is the bait on this one?” Grif said, starting the jeep back up. “I’m on board 100%” Before he could hit the gas pedal, he felt a thunk against the side of his helmet.

“Headshot, fuck yeah!” Tucker shouted, now also shooting from the roof.

“Shit.” Grif said, getting out of the Driver seat.

“Dammit.” Locus said. “Sarge, get in the-” Locus saw he was already hit.

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Sarge said, the front of his armor covered in blue paint.

Locus didn’t waste any time jumping into the driver seat and driving away from Blue Base. Donut was still in the passenger seat, clutching the flag.

“Babe, are you ok?” Donut asked, tucking the flag into the side of the seat.

“We’re not gonna lose this.”

“That’s not-”

“There she is!” Carolina was running across the grass, Red flag in hand. Even without her speed unit, she was almost a match for the Reds’ jeep. Locus swung around to chase her down. “We can still get her!”

“Locus!” Donut yelled. “Be careful!”

Locus had tunnel vision focus on Carolina and the flag. He held the pedal down full throttle, slowly gaining on Carolina, but not fast enough.

“No!” Locus stood up in his seat. “Take the wheel!”

“What!?” Donut shouted panicking.

As Donut reached over to keep the jeep steady, Locus climbed onto the hood. She was almost back to Blue Base. Tucker and Wash saw them come screaming over the hills. Tucker took aim at the jeep with his paintball rifle.

“Watch this one, Wash.” He said.

“Wait,” Wash said, already seeing what was about to go wrong, “Tucker, don’t!”

Wash reached for Tucker’s gun but he had already fired. Wash watched the blue paintball fly out of the gun, through the air, and hit Donut square in the visor right as Locus jumped for Carolina.

“Everybody watch out!” Wash screamed as Donut flinched away from the steering wheel. The jeep swerved and Locus fell just short of where he meant to, only managing to trip up Carolina before she could reach the base. Carolina fell to the ground and skidded across the grass, hitting the side of Blue Base. The rest of the reds dove out of the way of the runaway jeep. As it missed them, it spun out again and threw Donut from the passenger seat.

Locus landed face down in the dirt, only hearing what happened before he shot up and started running for Carolina again. But after just a step, he stopped. She was down on one knee, holding her side. The Blues came running out of the base to help everyone up. Sarge and Grif helped Simmons up. Locus saw Donut’s arm slip out from under him when he tried to get himself up. Washington marched out to Locus, taking his helmet off.

“What the hell was that, Locus?”

“I was…”

“We were just playing a goddamn game, Locus, you took it way to far.”

“I know, I just…”

“Look at this.” Wash said, gesturing to everyone still getting up. “You could’ve hurt somebody.”

“Well I didn’t even want to play you stupid game in the first place!” Locus snapped at Wash, ripping his own helmet off his head.

Everything was suddenly very quiet. Locus didn’t hear anything at all as he stared down Washington. Nothing but a honk coming from his right, where Donut landed. He turned to see Doc, with Meg and Mace, helping Donut to his feet. Locus’ eyes went wide with panic. The kids, they saw what he did, they heard what he said. What did he just say. He didn’t mean that did he? Did he? His eyes found Sarge’s visor. No amount of glass could hide Sarge’s disappointed look. He looked back at Donut, his helmet was off now too. Locus couldn’t help but fall back on his analytic nature. Donut was standing on his own power. No bleeding. No signs of concussion or internal bleeding, not that he could tell from here. Donut was okay. That’s all Locus needed to know before he ran.

Locus didn’t look back the whole way to the ship. He sprinted across the hills then up the ramp, almost running himself into a wall. He stopped and panted, watched his sweat drip to the floor, felt his heart hammer against his chestpiece. It wasn’t until just then that he processed Donut’s expression. When he looked up at Locus, he looked scared. He was scared of him. The thought of Donut looking at him and feeling fear nearly sent Locus mad. He fell to his knees, holding back tears. He ruined everything. All the anxieties he had last night that Donut would’ve told him to forget about were coming true. He stayed there, he didn’t know how long. Apparently long enough for someone to catch up to him. He heard footsteps come up the ramp.

“I think the game is kinda dumb too, you know.”

It was Donut. Locus wanted to run again, his legs screamed at him to move but he couldn’t. He dropped from hid knees, sitting on the floor of his ship, turning to face Donut. His pink armor stained with speckles of blue paint and smears of mud.

“Where are the kids?”

“Doc still has them.” Donut took a step towards him, then decided against it. He knew Locus didn’t like people coming into his personal space. He leaned against the doorframe of the ship. “Talk to me, Sam.”

Locus choked up when he said his name.

“I… don’t fit in… here.” He wanted to wait for Donut to answer before he continued but he didn’t think Donut would. “This place and… these people. You are a family. And you care about each other… in ways that… I don’t know if I can.”

“Sam…”

“I’m a criminal. A killer. A monster. You deserve a better life… than what you can have with me.”

Donut was quiet. He was thinking, Locus could tell he was deep in thought. He was in agony, waiting for a response.

“Do you know what I picture when I think about having a perfect life?” Donut said softly. Locus didn’t answer. “Well you should. Because you’re in it.”

“Franklin, I-”

“None of us here ‘fit in’ with each other, you know.” Donut slid down against the doorframe until he, too, was sitting on the floor. “You should’ve seen us in the early days, talk about dysfunctional. Fighting, real fighting, with bullets and all that. And not just at the other team, it was a cluster.”

“I had… no idea.” Locus said, after a deep breath. “You all just… fit so well together. It’s perfect.”

“It is now.” Donut said. “It definitely didn’t start that way. And I know… that we didn’t start that way either.” Donut sighed. “And not just when you were trying to kill us.”

Locus wanted to laugh at that.

“So maybe you don’t fit in just yet. But, by golly, I’m gonna work hard, and make an effort, and I’m gonna make you fit in if it’s the last thing I do!”

Locus laid his head back against the wall. He couldn’t stop a stream of tears from rolling down his face. He took another deep breath, but it was cut short with a laugh breaking through.

“You said that on purpose.”

“Always know how to cheer you up.” Donut stood up and walked over to Locus, reaching his hand down to him.

Locus and Donut walked out of the ship just as the rest of the crew showed up. Doc walked the kids up to the two of them. Locus took them both and carried them. He gave them both a kiss on their heads, they both giggled in response. Wash walked up to him.

“Are you okay?”

Locus nodded.

“Hey, no hard feelings, alright?” Wash said, trying to lighten the tone. “Take it from me, these guys don’t hold a grudge no matter how many times you almost kill ‘em.”

“I’ve been saying it for years.” Caboose said.

Locus tried to stumble his way through an apology, but nobody really needed to hear it. Nobody was hurt, and all was forgiven. Sarge was still upset at his armor being covered in blue, but everything was okay. Locus walked with Donut and the kids back into Red Base, and things really were okay. After another loud dinner, Locus and Donut took the kids to bed again. They were asleep by the time they were laid down. Donut and Locus sat with each other, alone on their bed.

“You were right Donut.”

Donut looked up at Locus.

“These pieces, these people, they weren’t made to fit together.” He looked down at Meg and Mace. “But you did. You stuck together anyway. And you’re all stronger for it.” Locus looked into Donut’s eyes. “I want that for us too.”

Donut put a hand on Locus’ cheek. He could stare at that face forever and ever. He brought him in for a kiss.

“I thought about what you said, just like I promised.” Locus said.

“What?” Donut didn’t realize at first. “Wait… Oh! Oh!!”

“Yeah.” Locus kissed him again. He could feel Donut’s smile on his lips. “I think I can stay for more than a few days.”


End file.
